Centrifugal impacting apparatus



Jan. 18, 1966 K. H. coNLEY ETAL 3,229,923

CENTRIFUGAL IMPACTING APPARATUS Original Filed March 17, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTCRNIYS Jan- 18, 1966 K. H. CONLEY ETAL 3,229,923

CENTRIFUGAL IMPACTING APPARATUS Original Filed March 17, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 K .f www B awww@ ATTORNEYS lIan. 18, 1966 K. H. coNLEY ETAL 3,229,923

CENTRIFUGAL IMPACTING APPARATUS Original Filed March 17, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 TO'R 193 lez 188 76 E Kif* Twf- 20 @Lal/,ew 09AM# r ATTORNEYS Jan. 18, 1966 K. H. coNLEY ETAL 3,229,923

CENTRIFUGAL IMPACTING APPARATUS Original Filed March 17, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Kurt wVNT RS Bfgwwld gezang'- @62.14 ,VMM

ATTORNEYB Jan. 18, 1966 K. H. coNLY ETAL CENTRIFUGAL IMPACTING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed March 17, 1959 United States Patent O 3,229,923 CENTRIFUGAL IMPACTING APPARATUS Kurt H. Conley, Hamden, and Arnold J. Tenner, West Haven, Conn., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Entoleter, Ine., a corporation of Delaware Original application Mar. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 799,930, now Patent No. 3,023,973, dated Mar. 6, 1962. Divided and this application Nov. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 160,966 3 Claims. (Cl. 241-253) This application is a division lof our yapplication Serial No. 799,930 which became Patent 3,023,973 on March 6, 1962.

This invention relates to apparatus for `centrifugally impacting a flowing product to break and reduce the individual particles of the product. This apparatus may be used successfully in the milling of flour or 1other products from wheat, rye, corn, potatoes, tapioca or other grown products requiring extraction or separation of ingredients or fractions thereof. It may lalso be used for the reduction of certain inert materials such as asbestos, plasters, and the like. This apparatus may likewise be used for reducing, mixing, blending and otherwise processing a wide variety of materials.

With conventional single rotor centrifugal impacting apparatus, operational impacting speeds and capacities are quite limited. Centrifugal impacting apparatus incorporating two counter-rotating rotors with cooperating impactor elements produces better impacting results, because of the higher relative impacting velocities and capacities thereby made possible. But the mounting and alignment of the coacting rotors must be very precise t provide proper 'cooperation between the impactor elements and to prevent bridging or clogging of impacted material therebetween. Furthermore, the supporting frame must be adapted to withstand static loads, dynamic stresses and torque loads, such as those introduced by uneven inflow of the granular materials to be treated, and the necessary alignment must still be maintained.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to .provide economical centrifugal impacting apparatus affording greatly improved impacting action. Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above character incorporating two cooperating rotors driven by separate drive systems mounted on a unitary supporting frame. Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above character affording a selectable plurality of discharge paths for the material `treated to facilitate the combining of the apparatus with other equipment in a continuous treatment installation. Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above character adapted to accommodate a variety of differently shaped impacting rotors for purposes of treating different types of materials. Still another object 4of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above character incorporating interchangeable rotor housing elements, thereby increasing the useful life of the apparatus. Other objects will be in part `obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus embodying features yof construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exempliied in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope Iof the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view, partially vcut away, 4of impact milling apparatus incorporating one embodiment of the present invention;

Patented Jan. 18, 1966 ICC FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a portios of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1, and taken along the line 2 2, in FIGURES l and 4;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional top plan View of the `central portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1, and taken along the line 3-3;

FIGURE 4 is an elevation View, partially cut away, of the portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of one of the rotors shown in FIGURE 2 and taken along line 55;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary t-op plan View of another rotor of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2 and taken along line 6 6;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of a portion of the rotors shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE y8 is a fragmentary vertical section yof the rotors used in another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary vertical section of the rotors which may .be used in still another form of the invention;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional View taken along line 10-10 of FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along line 11--11 of FIGURE 9.

Referring now to the `drawings in detail, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a supporting frame generally indicated at 12 incorporating supporting posts generally indicated at 14, 15, and a sub-frame generally indicated at 16, supported on legs one of which is generally indicated at 1S, A rotor housing generally indicated at 20 is supported by two `parallel central posts one of which is indicated at numeral 14 and by frame l2.

Referring to FIGURE 2, showing an enlarged Sectional view of rotor housing 20, a receiving rotor generally indicated at 22 is keyed to a drive shaft generally indicated at 24, and shaft 24 extends through a suitable series of journal bearings (not shown) in a bearing casing generally indicated at 26. As best seen in FIGURE 1, a pulley generally indicated `at 28 is keyed to the upper end of shaft 24; and frame 12 supports a driving motor 30 having a pulley 32 keyed to its drive shaft 34 as will be described in greater detail hereafter. Pulleys 28 and 32 are drivingly connected by suitable belting 36.

Returning to FIGURE 2, a lprocessing rotor generally indicated at 38 is keyed to a shaft 40 which extends downwardly through suitable journal bearings (not shown) in a lower bearing casing generally indicated at 42. A pulley 44 is keyed to the lower end of shaft 40 as best seen in FIGURE 1, and sub-frame 16 `supports -a driving motor 46 whose shaft 48 has .a pulley 50 keyed thereto. Suitable belting generally indicated at S2 drivingly connects pulleys 44 and 50. Preferably motors 30 and 46 are constructed to drive the receiving and processing rotors 22 and 38 in lopposite directions.

Again referring -to FIGURE 3, it will be seen that the rotor housing comprises .an upper inlet casing generally indicated at 54 which includes inlet chutes 56 and 58 disposed on the opposite sides of the lower portion 60 of bearing casing 26 and converging toward the central portion or hub 62 of the receiving rotor 22. *Inlet casing 54 also includes a housing plate 64 which rests upon and is secured to a volute central section 66 of housing 20. A lower air inlet :casing generally indicated at 68 includes lai-r inlet chutes 70 and 72 similarly located 'with respect to the upper portion 74 of bearing casing 42. Lower inlet casing 68 also includes a housing plate 76 secured to volute section 66 in any suitable manner. The shape of the volute central section 66 may be comprehended by reference to FIGURE 3 where it will be seen to increase gradually in radial dimension to form the product outlet 78; outlet 78 may be connected to any suitable ducting (not shown) for conveying the processed material away from the machine.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 5, it will be seen that receiving rotor 22 has a series of radially extending vanes 80 running between hub 62 and the -outer ring portion 82 thereof. Rotor 38 merely comprises a substantially flat disc and the outer portions of the two rotors face each other and have extending therefrom a series of impactors. More particularly, receiving rotor 22 has -two rows of impactors 84 and 86 extending downwardly therefrom while processing rotor 38 has impactors 88, 96 and 92 extending upwardly therefrom, as shown in FIGURES 2, 8, 9 and 10. As will be apparent in FIGURES 2 and 7, impactors 84 and 86 are disposed between impactors 88, 90 :and 92 as will `be presently described in greater detail. Although these impactors may take a variety of shapes, in the preferred embodiment they are shown as substantially cylindrical pins. Further, the shape and position of these impacting members may vary according to the character of the material to be processed by the machine. Also, it is to be noted that the space between the impactors, indeed all spaces through which the material being processed travels, should be larger than the individual particles being processed so that the action of the machine is one of pure impact as distinguished from a grinding or mashing action.

It will now be apparent that when motors 30 and 46 (FIGURE 1) are started to drive the rotors 22 and 38 in opposite directions through shafts 24 and 40, a product to be treated may be fed to the receiving rotor through the chutes 56 and 58. As the material drops upon the hub 62 -of the receiving rotor, it is flung outwardly -between the vanes 80 by centrifugal force and is guided under ring portion 82 by a collar 94 depending from top plate 64 of upper inlet casing 54. Thus, the material is `forced at very great velocities against impactors 88 and then continues along an outward path with violent impact as it passes between and hits impactors 84, 86, 90 and 92. From thence it is tlung outwardly into the volute portion 66 of casing 28. It should be noted that motors 30 and 46 are .designed to drive rotors 22 and 38 at very high speeds, and this creates a draft of air which enters with the product through the inlet chutes 56 and 58, together Iwith other air which is drawn in via air inlet chutes 7 tl and 72. This air and the processed product are thereby not only forced outwardly, but whirled in a general circular paths as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 3, to be -forced from the machine through product outlet 78 aS seen in FIGURE `3.

Supporting means for motor 46 and the associated driving mechanism for processing rotor 38 (FIGURE 2) are shown in FIGURE l. Sub-frame 16 comprises two parallel side members 146 (only one of which is shown), an end member (not shown) and a central crosspiece (not shown). The ends of side members 146 are provided with end sockets 152 to accommodate legs 18 and 21 and central posts 14 and 19, and the legs and posts may be held in position in these sockets by welding or bolting as described above with respect to the main frame 12. The end member and central crosspiece span the width of subframe 16 and join the ends of side members 146 adjacent end sockets 152. A lower motor bracket generally indicated at 154 includes angle members 156 having upper horizontal flanges 158 slidably resting upon the upper surfaces of side members 146 with depending inner vertical flanges 160 positioned inside and ladjacent their respective side members 146. The upper anges 158 of these angle members are provided with longitudinal slots (not shown) adapted to receive bolts 163 which are inserted therethrough into 4tapped holes in side members 146. Motor mounting plate 164 spans sub-frame `16 between angle members 156 and is provided with longitudinal flanges 166 welded to depending flanges (not shown) of angle 4 members 156. Motor 46 is bolted or otherwise secured to mounting plate 164 by bolts 168.

A pair of longitudinal torque braces connect the lower bearing casing 42 to the central crosspiece of subframe 16.

As described above, shaft 40, on which processing rotor 33 is mounted, projects from the lower end of lower bearing casing 42 and pulley 44 is keyed on this lower projecting end of shaft 40. A pulley 50 is keyed to the downwardly projecting shaft 48 of motor 46 :and flexible belting 52 joins the two pulleys to complete the driving connection ybetween motor 46 land the processing rotor 38. Belting 52 preferably take the form of a plurality of flexible belts joining multigrooved pulleys 44 and 50,` and optimum belt tension is maintained by the sliding motor bracket adjustment described above. The torque braces 155 aid in maintaining bearing casing 42 in position. These belts and pulleys are guarded by a second telescoping drive cover generally indicated at 172, which includes an open-ended belt cover 174 covering pulley I50 and a portion of 'belts 52 and secured to motor bracket 154, and an intertting pulley cover 176 covering pulley 44 and the remainder of belts 52 which is secured to lower bearing casing 42.

Referring now to FIGUREl 2, `it will be seen that the preferred form of rotor casing 20 includes three separate elements which are connected 4by bolts, or the like: upper inlet casing 54, lower air inlet casing 68 and volute housing section 66.

Upper inlet casing 54 includes I'a base plate 178 bolted to upper bearing casing 26 by bolts `180, and a housing plate 64 joined to base .plate `178 by the side walls 184 of inlet chutes 56 and 58. Base plate 178 `and housing plate 64 Iare provided with suitable openings to accom-` modate the projecting lower portion 60 of bearing casing 26k and shaft 24 and its associated ttings respectively. Feed chutes 56 and 58 preferably converge, as shown in FIGURE 2, tot direct the inowing material to be treated toward central hub 62 of receiving rotor 22. Annular collar 94 is secured by bolts 186 to the underside of housing pl-ate 64 -in `such a position that the collar fits within the rim or ring portion 82 of receiving -rotor 22.

Rotor housing section 66, as shown in FIGURES `2 and 3, comprises a generally annular housing of volute horizontalcross-section, with a discharge outlet 78 at its periphery. Volute section 66 `surrounds rotors 22 and 38 and is bolted to housing plate 64 of inlet casing 54 by bolts 182.`

Volute housing 66 is provided with an `access door 188 mounted on its periphery, as shown in FIGURES 3 Kand 4. A peripheral portion of volute housing .66 `extends radially to Iform a projecting door flange 190 with a flat outer face 191. The door ange 190 surrounds a generally elliptical door opening 192 affording access to the interior of volute housing 66 (FIGURE 4). Door 188 is connected to face 191 of llange 190 iby bolts 193, threaded into tapped holes in face 191,` or by other suitable fastening means. If desired, door 188 may be hinge connected to ange 190, and closed 4by a suitable latch arrangement (not shown in the drawings). Anchor brackets 196 and 198 are formed on or joined to the periphery of volute 66 and `adapted to accommodate central posts 14 and 19, respectively, these brackets being held in position by lbolts 200 passing through suitable holes in 'the posts and thence into tapped holes in the -anchor bracket. Volutc rotor casing 66 is thus firmly anchored to the posts supporting the main frame. It will be seen in FIGURE 3 that anchor bracket 198 projects farther from the outer wall of volute `66 than does bracket 196 because the volute has a smaller external radius at anchor bracket 198 then at anchor bracket 196.

The arrows in FIGURE 3 indicate generally the path of `air and treated material leaving the rotors and passing around the interior of the volute toward discharge outlet 7 8. Feed chutes 56 and 58, shown in detail in FIGURE 2, may be connected to suitable ducting, adapted -to convey air and the material being treated to the apparatus, and discharge outlet 78 may likewise be connected to similar ducting to convey the impacted material to further treatment operations.

Rotor housing also includes air inlet casing 68 as shown in FIGURE 2, and this inlet casing, like inlet casing 54, includes a base plate 202 secured by bolts 204 to lower bearing casing 42, and joined to the housing plate 76 by the walls 206 of air inlet chutes 70 and 72. Air inlet casing 68 is joined by bolts 208 to volute rotor casing 66, and 'both base plate 202 and housing plate 76 provide apertures .accommodating projecting upper portion 74 of -lower bearing casing 42 yand shaft 40 and its associated ttings, respectively.

As indicated in FIGURE 2, inlet casing 54 and air inlet casing 68 are preferably identical and may be interchanged, one for the other, to provide an extended useful life for the apparatus. Manufacturing costs are also reduced by employing the same structure to form both the upper and lower port-ions of rotor housing 20. Furthermore, volute casing 66 is preferably designed so that it may be reversed and installed upside down to place discharge outlet 78 in an alternative position B on the opposite side of the structure for convenience in adapting the yapparatus to be linked and -installed with adjacent processing machinery in the most useful and space-sav ing manner.

The preferred form of substantially co-axial and concentric rotors 22 and 38 are shown in FIGURES 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7. Receiving rotor 22 is provided with a hub portion 62 bolted and keyed to the end of shaft 24, and an annular ring or rim portion 82 joined to hub portion 62 by a series of generally circumferentially spaced radial vanes 80, adapted to cooperate with collar 94 in guiding the material being treated from the vicinity of hub 62 downwardly and outwardly, under the impetus of centrifugal force, whence it passes underneath rim 28 and 'toward the impactors 84, 86, 88, 90 and 92. As shown in FIGURE 7, rim 82 is joined to hub 62 by vanes 80. Further, this rim 82 is provided with van inner shoulder 216 outside annular collar 94 and cooperating therewith in directing material being treated downwardly towards t-he impactors. As shown in FIGURES 5 and 7, rim 82 is preferably provided with two concentric annular rows of impactors 84 and 86 projecting downwardly -and generally perpendicular. These impactors may have any desired shape, but round cylindrical 4impactor pins have been found to be preferable in many impacting operations.

Processing rotor 38 is preferably an integral disc keyed to its driving shaft 40 -and likewise having concentric annular rows of impactors 88, 90 and 92 projecting upwardly and generally perpendicular. As seen most clearly in FIGURE 7, receiving impactors 84 and 86 are preferably designed to t between and intermesh with processing impactors 88, 90 and 92. It will be noted that processing rotor 38 is .provided with annular grooves 217 and 218having substantially .greater width than the diameter of impactors 84 and 86 and generally positioned adjacent .the projecting ends of those impactors. Rim 82 of receiving rotor 22 is llikewise provided with spaced annular grooves 219, 220 and 221, positioned adjacent the projecting ends of processing impactors 88, 90 and 92. Grooves 219 and 220 are wider than the diameters of impactors 88, 90 and 9, and partial groove 221 is similarly spaced Ifrom impactors `92 -to provide ample clearance therebetween. It will be seen from FIGURE 7 that substantial spaces 'are provided between each row of impactors and the bottom and sides of the corresponding opposite groove into which that row of impactors projects slightly,A and that the spaces between the adjacent rows of impactors are also substantial. All of these spaces are preferably designed to be substantially larger 6 than the dimensions of the particles being treated between the two rotors, to avoid building-up, bridging or clogging lof this material between `impacting elements and adjacent members.

'Ilhe operation of the machine will be understood by referring to the various figures. Motors 30 and 46 are started and rotors 22 and 38 are thereby driven at high speeds, preferably in opposite directions. Granular or fibrous material of any desired particle size is then introduced to the apparatus through feed chutes S6 and 58, together with air or any other desired gases. The moisture content of the accompanying air or gases may be regulated to facilitate the impacting operation. Material to be impacted is directed by feed chutes 56 and 58 to hub 62 of rotor 22, where it is ung outwardly under the impetus of centrifugal force toward collar 94. The material then descends between vanes and is -given further radial acceleration by the action of these vanes and also by the high speed rotary motion of processing rotor 38. The material is thus driven at high velocity to the impactors 84, 86, 88, and 92, and is violently flung and impacted therebetween, the material passing at all times through spaces .between the various elements which are larger than the particle size of the material being treated, so that bridging and clogging of treated material in the impacting area is minimized or eliminated. The impacted stock and the air admitted therewith, as well as any additional air admitted through air inlet passages 70 and 72, thereafter travels around the interior of the volute 66 as described above and passes therefrom through discharge outlet 78. Air inlet valves 71 are slidably mounted in inlet passages 70 and 72 to control the amount of addi tional air admitted therethrough.

It will be seen from the foregoing discussion that all of the elements supporting and anchoring the rotor housing and bearing casings to the main frame and the subframe cooperate to resist both static loads and dynamic stresses with great eciency. Anchor brackets 196 and 198 are well adapted to anchor rotor housing 20 to control posts 14 and thereby maintain proper operating alignment of receiving rotor 22 and processing rotor 38. Since withdrawing means 96 is well adapted for the partial disassembly of the apparatus, the rotors 22 and 38 may be replaced by other pairs of rotors of different designs which may be adapted for the treatment of different types of materials. Thus, for example, there is shown in FIGURE 8, another embodiment of the invention including a pair of rotors of different construction. Here a receiving rotor generally indicated at 252 is formed as a flat disc joined to hub 254 by screws 256, and hub 254 is bolted and keyed to receiving rotor shaft 24. A single peripheral row of angularly spaced receiving impactors generally indicated at 258 join the periphery of receiving rotor 252 with a generally horizontal annular ring 260 spaced upwardly therefrom and positioned just outside the lower end of collar 94. A processing rotor generally indicated at 262 is likewise formed as a fiat disc and secured to hub 264 by screws 266, and hub 264 is keyed to processing rotor shaft 40. Processing rotor 262 is provided with a peripheral row of angularly spaced impactors generally indicated at 268, projecting upwardly near the louter edge of rotor 262 and surrounding receiving impactors 258. Processing rotor 262 is also provided with one or more central air entrance openings 270 and generally radial fan blades 272 mounted on its adjacent face 274 and projecting towards adjacent face 276 of receiving rotor 252. The impacting portions of these two rotors may be provided with abrasive resistant surfaces to improve the wearing qualities of the rotors. Thus, as shown in FIG- URE 8, the receiving and processing impactors are provided with abrasion resistant sleeves 278 and 280, respectively; ring 260 is provided with a plate 282, rotor 252 is provided with a plate 284 and rotor 262 is provided with` a plate 286. More particularly, sleeves 278 and 280 are secured by screws 279 and 281. Such abrasion resistant surfaces may, for example, be for-med of high hardness steels or ceramic materials. Segments 282 and 284 of receiving rotor 252 and its ring 260 preferably have entry ramps 288 and 290 sloping toward each other to narrow the space between ring 260 and rotor 252 near t'ne impactors 258. These ramps direct the material to be treated toward the central portions of impactors 258 and spread the material over the effective surfaces of both rows of impractors. When plates 282 and 284 are mounted in circumferential grooves, as shown in FIGURE 8, the leading edges of ramps 288 and 290 are preferably recessed in these grooves, as shown, to induce eddies in passing air and material to be impacted, thus minimizing abrasion of the groove-shoulders adjacent these entry ramps. Air passing through openings 270 and driven outwardly between the rotors by blades 272 aids in expelling impacted materials from the impactors into volute 66.

Another pair of impacting rotors forming another embodiment of our invention is illust-rated in FIGURES 9, l10 and 11. Here, the receiving rotor'292 and the processing rotor 294 are not flat, as shown in FIGURE 8, but are formed with concave adjacent faces 296 and 298, respectively, to form an air inlet space between them having a vertically diminishing thickness, which may be designed to produce a Venturi effect upon the air passing through this air inlet passage. Fan blades 316 are mounted on surface 298 of rotor 294. The receiving rotor 292 has a lower plate with a downwardly sloping central portion 292a on which an abrasion resistant wear plate 293 is mounted, and an outer substantially horizontal portion 29211. The receiving rotor also includes an upper ring 303 having a downwardly sloping inner portion 303a surrounding collar 94, and a substantially horizontal outer portion 303b immediately above piston 292b.

The receiving impactor elements 300 are radially disposed between horizontal portions 292b and 303b, and impactor elements 300 preferably extend from sloping portions 292:1 and 303m to the periphery of the rotor. These impactors 300 preferably take the form of solid blocks held in position by screws 304, and having generally concave radial grooves 306 formed in their leading edges, i.e., in the faces which strike the material to be treated. These grooves channel and direct the treated material toward the central portion of the processing impactors 305, to provide more efficient impacting action.

Processing rotor 294 4has an upwardly sloping central portion 294a, and a horizontal portion 294b, with a row of radially spaced impactors 305 extending upwardly therefrom adjacent its periphery. The impactors 305 and the processing rotor 294 may be provided with abrasiveresistant surfaces 312 and 314 in the manner shown'in FIGURE 9. If desired, the impactors 305 may take the formof square or polygonal pins, as shown in FIGURE 10, rather than the round pins shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7. The outer ends of impactors 300 are also provided with abrasive-resistant inserts 308 keyed into suitable end slots 310 in the impactors; these inserts extend vertically so that the inserts cover the outer ends of the impactors and the peripheries -of plate 292 and ring 303. Inserts 308 are thus well adapted to cooperate with impactors 305 to provide rebound or ricochet impacting effect.

Thus the apparatus of the present invention provides numerous advantages, including rigid, lightweight support for the counter-rotating impacting rotors combined with easy accessi-bility via door 188 of volute 66 for cleaning and repair of the rotors. Convenient partial disassembly is also provided to permit free access to the rotors for repairing land cleaning the rotors and rotor casing, and for substituting different pairs of receiving and processing rotors. VThe structural elements of the present invention are well adapted to resist static and dynamic stresses, as described above, and the various adjustable elements supporting the bearing casings and the driving motors permit convenient alignment of the rotating elements for eiiicient impacting operation and efcient driving adjustment.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since cer-tain changes` may be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of ithe invention,'it is intended thatA all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the genenic and specific features of the inventionherein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language,

might be said to fall therebetween.

We claim:

1. In centrifugal impacting apparatus, the combination (a) a casing,

(b) a receiving rotor rotatably mounted in said casing and having circumferentially-spaced substantially perpendicular i-mpa'ctors mounted thereon in a circular row substantially spaced from the axis of said rotor, said receiving rotor also including an annular ring forme-d thereon spaced from the axis thereof and also including a hub portion formed thereon adapted to coact with said ring in guiding the ma forming air intake openings therein, the adjacentl faces of said receiving and `processing rotors being spaced apart lto ,form an air intake passage into which air is drawn through said air intake openings.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 including a Iplurality of fan blades mounted on yone of said adjacent faces, whereby air -is drawn through said passage and expelled therefrom near the peripheries of said rotors.

3. In centrifugal impacting apparatus, the combination of a casing, a receiving rotor rotatably Imounted in said casing and having circumferentially-spaced impactors extending therefrom in a circular row substantiallyrspaced from the axis of the rotor, means forming a `guiding ring spaced from the yaxis of said receiving rotor and joined thereto by said impactors, a processingrotor rotatably mounted in said casing and having a row of impactors extending upwardly therefrom and outwardly spaced from said first-mentioned impactors, said receiving rotor being adapted to coact with said guiding ring in directing the material by centrifugal force to be impacted by said impactors, whereby upon rotation of said rotors material fed to said receiving rotors is hurled outwardly and impacted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6,902. 1l/l849 Learned et al. 241-56 2,352,327 6/1944 Kirn 241-275 X 2,428,670 l0/l947v Hulse 241-261 X 2,644,740 7/1953 Dodds et al. 241-275 X 2,867,387 l/1959 Dodds et al. 241-275 2,981,490 4/1961 Conley 241--75 FOREIGN PATENTS 689,936 4/ 1953 Great Britain.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD W. KIRBY, J. SPENCER QVERHOLSER,

Examiners. 

1. IN CENTRIFUGAL IMPACTING APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION OF (A) A CASING, (B) A RECEIVING ROTOR ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING AND HAVING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY-SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR IMPACTORS MOUNTED THEREON IN A CIRCULAR ROW SUNSTANTIALLY SPACED FROM THE AXIS OF SAID ROTOR, SAID RECEIVING ROTOR ALSO INCLUDING AN ANNULAR RING FORMED THEREON SPACED FROM THE AXIS THEREOF AND ALSO INCLUDING A HUB PORTION FORMED THEREON ADAPTED TO COACT WITH SAID RING IN GUIDING THE MATERIAL TO BE IMPACTED, AND (C) A PROCESSING ROTOR ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING AND HAVING A ROW OF IMPACTORS EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM ADJACENT SAID FIRST MENTIONED IMPACTORS, SAID PROCESSING ROTOR BEING PROVIDED WITH MEANS FORMING AIR INTAKE OPENINGS THEREIN, THE ADJACENT FACES OF SAID RECEIVING AND PROCESSING ROTORS BEING SPACED APART TO FORM AN AIR INTAKE PASSAGE INTO WHICH AIR IS DRAWN THROUGH SAID AIR INTAKE OPENINGS. 